Life in Dulwich

We went to see Take Flight! at the Menier Chocolate Factory, a new musical about the pioneers of flight - Wright Brothers, Earhart & Lindbergh. It had all the right credentials - produced by a reputable company, good solid West End actors, seasoned creators including David Shire, John Weidman & Richard Maltby Jr and put together by the creative team of Sunday in the Park with George, which was a triumph. This, on the other hand, was an unmitigated disaster. It was dull, had no overlying story arc, unhummable, didn't move you in the slightest and the conclusions reached were what? Who knows? That it's better to die than to compromise your dreams? The songs were derivative (BB's comment) and nothing seemed new. The direction seemed lazy. The set was quite good but you never once felt that anything took flight or felt like you were seeing people actually fly. Dull, dull, dull and too flaming hot. Actually, Sally Ann Triplett was good, and Clive Carter.

The most exciting thing was that Imelda Staunton was in the audience. I told BB this when we were in the foyer waiting to go in. When we sat down (free seating), BB said, 'So where's this famous person then?' quite loudly. 'She's behind you', I hissed in return. There was a slight pause and then we both got the giggles.